Is it too late to send Christmas cards?
Usually not. Shutterfly's guide on late cards says it directly: "Even after December 25, it isn't necessarily too late." What changes with the date is the wording on the card. Below is what to write in each window, then how to finish the stack without sending a second card to someone who already has one.
What to write, by date
The dates are for 2026. For the last day USPS recommends for First-Class Mail to arrive by Christmas (Thursday, December 17), see when to mail Christmas cards in 2026. The window cutoffs after that are my judgment, not a rule from anyone.
| Mailed | What to expect | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| Through Thu, Dec. 17 | On time by USPS's date. Write the card as usual. | Merry Christmas wording. |
| Fri, Dec. 18 to Thu, Dec. 24 | Past the USPS date for First-Class Mail, so it may arrive after Christmas. Mail it anyway. | Christmas wording is still fine. Add a line for the New Year, such as "Happy New Year too", in case it lands late. |
| Fri, Dec. 25 to Thu, Dec. 31 | Will arrive after Christmas, possibly after New Year's Day. | Switch to "Happy New Year" or "Warm wishes for the New Year". Drop "Merry Christmas" from the card text. |
| Fri, Jan. 1 to about Jan. 10 | The holidays are just over. My suggestion: a card still reads as a greeting. | A New Year card, a year-in-review note, or "Wishing you a good start to the year". |
| Mid-January and after | The season is over for many recipients. | A winter hello or "thinking of you". Skip holiday words, and mention why it is late only if it helps. |
My suggestion: once the card goes out after Christmas, write it as a New Year card and keep the photo and the family update. Shutterfly makes the same point: a New Year's card "can be a great alternative" when Christmas has passed, and it is a natural place for family updates and favorite memories from the year.
My suggestion for the late-January end: send the card if the person matters to you, and skip it if it would only feel like a duty. A winter hello with a photo is a fine card in February.
Cards abroad and to the military
The USPS date for these is December 9, and mail takes longer, so a card sent after it may not arrive until after Christmas. Use the New Year wording from the start for those households.
Finish the job without doubling up
The risk with a late push is losing track: half the stack went out on December 14, and now you are not sure who is left. If your list is on this site, the fix takes a few minutes.
- Open your list and look at the Sent boxes. Everyone without a tick is still waiting for a card.
- Add anyone missing, and check that every household you still owe has an address. People without one are counted at the top of the list.
- On the labels page, choose "Only cards not sent yet". The sheet then holds labels for the remaining households only, and you can skip labels already used on a partly used sheet. More on that in printing labels from the list.
- Write each card with the wording for its date, mail them, and tick Sent as each one goes in the mailbox.
My suggestion: a card that arrives from someone you have not sent to deserves a late reply too. Tick Received, and send them one with the New Year wording. The two-box method is covered in how to track Christmas cards sent and received.
Start the list
Making a list takes a minute, and friends can type in their own addresses through one link. Free, no account.
Source: Shutterfly Community, When is it too late to send Christmas cards? (shutterfly.com), read October 17, 2026. More: what postage costs in 2026 and how to sign cards from a family.